Erickson super straightener

ABSTRACT

This invention consists of a tool and a bending plate that provides a means of straightening woodcutting saw bars otherwise known as saw bars. The saw bars are used in the process of harvesting timber with machinery. The machinery would include Feller Bunchers or any Wood Processing Machine that uses a hydraulic, electric or gas driven wood cutting chain with a steel bar. 
     The Erickson Super Straightener is a tool that consists of 3 main functional parts. There is a rotating head plate with an attached handle and the separate bending plate. 
     In order to use the tool the bending plate must be secured by welding or bolting it to an adequate flat working surface. The best place to secure the bending plate would be on the machine it is intended to be used for. 
     The tool is then used by slipping the ears of the bent saw bar through the stationary bending plate. The bar is then held securely in place by the bending plate. The rotating head of the tool is then slipped over the tip of the saw bar and positioned on the high side of the twist or bend anywhere along the length of the bar. By applying downward pressure to the handle the operator can remove any bend or twist the bar might have. This tool is cost effective and convenient.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Feller Buncher and Wood Processing Machines are used widely around the world for harvesting timber. This invention allows the operator of these machines the means of straightening a bent or twisted wood cutting saw bar at the site of his or her work.

By straightening the saw bar the operator can continue working with the same bar. A bent saw bar would normally have to be replaced. I know through three years of testing of this tool at my work place, that the tool gets used sometimes on a daily basis and that it works very well. It is safe to use and it improves production to the process of harvesting timber.

This invention relates to a manually operated tool with a rotating head and a stationary bending plate used for straightening bent or twisted wood cutting saw bars.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is common for Feller Bunchers or Wood Processing Machines to bend the wood cutting saw bar while working. A bent saw bar must be removed and replaced to continue work with the machine.

This tool allows the operator or mechanic to remove the bent or twisted saw bar from the machine and straighten it.

When the bar is placed in the stationary bending plate it is very secure. Once the bar is secured the tool can straighten the bent or twisted bar.

The operator uses the tool by slipping the rotating head over the tip of the bar and positioning it in the appropriate spot or spots, the tool operator can apply downward pressure with the use of the handle, bending the bar back to straight.

The tool operator can use his or her own strength to straighten the bar.

To my knowledge there is no tool available of this type for these machines.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The bending plate FIG. 1(A) is made of ½″ steel plate 8″×4″ with two ½″ steel support arms. The first support arm (B) is almost flush with the front of the plate centered and is rounded off at the top. The second support arm (C) is 2½″ from the first and is in line and identical to the first and both are secured by welding. See FIG. 1.

The plate needs to be fastened by bolts or welding to adequate flat surface in order for the tool to be worked.

The gap from the plate surface of the bottom support arm is 5/16″×4¼″ long (D).

This gap is where the bar ears are slipped in and held secure.

The over all height is 2″ from the bottom of the bending plate to the top of the support arm.

The rotating head in FIG. 2 (E) is made of ½″ steel plate. 4½″×6″ and is arched.

It has a ⅞″×2½″ bolt centered 1½″ from the edge of the top of the plate (F) and is secured by welding.

The ⅞″ bolt has three ⅞″ flat washers (G) on the bolt with nylon ⅞″ locking nut (H).

The bottom of the plate consists of two 5/16″×¾″×½″ spacers (I) as well as the ⅝″×⅝″ support bar 6″ in length (J). Both spacers and support bar are secured by welding.

The slip through gap is 5/16″×4¼″ (K).

The handle is 40″ in length and is 1½″ pipe (L). The end is tapered to accept the tool link. The link is made of ½″ steel plate bent to accept the tool plate and round at the bottom end (M). The link has a ⅞″ hole drilled and centered in the bottom end and has a ¾″×1½″ heel centered and welded to the underside (N). The link is secured to the pipe by welding.

The heel of the link is used to apply pressure to the tool plate. See FIG. 2. (N)

This tool will be also made to accept bigger wood cutting bars by adding length to the dimensions but not changing the design.

It will have an optional 40″ handle extension (O) and optional bracing for the support bars. (P)

All metal has been fastened by welding. See drawings to fit letter with tool parts.

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS

Manually operated leverage tool used in straightening wood cutting saw bars.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Feller Buncher and Wood Processing Machines are used widely around the world for harvesting timber. This invention allows the operator of these machines the means of straightening a bent or twisted wood cutting saw bar at the site of his or her work.

By straightening the saw bar the operator can continue working with the same bar.

A bent saw bar would normally have to be replaced. I know through three years of testing of this tool at my work place, that the tool gets used sometimes on a daily basis and that it works very well. It is safe to use and it improves production to the process of harvesting timber.

This invention relates to a manually operated tool with a rotating head and a stationary bending plate used for straightening bent or twisted wood cutting saw bars.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is common for Feller Bunchers or Wood Processing Machines to bend the wood cutting saw bar while working. A bent saw bar must be removed and replaced to continue work with the machine.

This tool allows the operator or mechanic to remove the bent or twisted saw bar from the machine and straighten it.

When the bar is placed in the stationary bending plate it is very secure. Once the bar is secured the tool can straighten the bent or twisted bar.

The operator uses the tool by slipping the rotating head over the tip of the bar and positioning it in the appropriate spot or spots, the tool operator can apply downward pressure with the use of the handle, bending the bar back to straight.

The tool operator can use his or her own strength to straighten the bar.

To my knowledge there is no tool available of this type for these machines.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The bending plate FIG. 1 (A) is made of ½″ steel plate 8″×4″ with two ½″ steel support arms. The first support arm FIG. 1 (B) is ⅛″ from the edge with the front of the plate centered and is rounded off at the top. The second support arm FIG. 1 (C) is 2½″ from the first and is in line and identical to the first and both are secured by welding.

The bending plate needs to be fastened by bolts or welding to adequate flat surface in order for the tool to be worked.

The gap from the bending plate surface of the bottom support arm is FIG. 2 (D).

The measurement is 5/16″×4¼″ long. This gap is where the bar ears are slipped in and held secure.

The over all height is 2″ from the bottom of the bending plate to the top of the support arm.

The rotating head in FIG. 7 (E) is made of ½″ steel plate. 4½″×6″ and is arched.

It has a ⅞″×2½″ bolt centered 1½″ from the edge of the top of the plate FIG. 8 (F) and is secured by welding.

The ⅞″ bolt has two ⅞″ flat washers FIG. 8(G) on the bolt with nylon ⅞″ locking nut FIG. 8 (H).

The bottom of the plate consists of two 5/16″×¾″×½″ spacers FIG. 8(I) as well as the ⅝″×⅝″ support bar 6″ in length FIG. 8 (J). Both spacers and support bar are secured by welding.

The slip through gap is 5/16″×4¼″ FIG. 8 (K).

The handle is 40″ in length and is 1½″ pipe FIG. 7 (L). The end is tapered to accept the tool link. The tool link is made of ½″ steel plate bent to accept the tool plate and round at the bottom end FIG. 10 (M). The link has a ⅞″ hole drilled and centered in the bottom end and has a ¾×1½″ heel centered and welded to the underside FIG. 10 (N). The link is secured to the pipe by welding.

The heel of the link is used to apply pressure to the tool plate. See FIG. 10(N).

This tool will be also made to accept bigger wood cutting bars by adding length and width to the dimensions but not changing the design.

It will have an optional 40″ handle extension FIG. 9 (O) and optional bracing for the support bars. FIG. 4 (P)

All metal has been fastened by welding. See drawing figures to fit letter with tool parts.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is the top view of the bending plate.

FIG. 2 is the front view of the bending plate.

FIG. 3 is the side view of the bending plate.

FIG. 4 is the top view of the bending plate with the optional bracing for the support bars.

FIG. 5 is the front view of the bending plate with the optional bracing for the support bars.

FIG. 6 is the side view of the bending plate with the optional bracing for the support bars.

FIG. 7 is the top view of the ERICKSON SUPER STRAIGHTENER tool head and handle.

FIG. 8 is the front view of the ERICKSON SUPER STRAIGHTENER tool head and handle.

FIG. 9 is the optional handle extension for the ERICKSON SUPER STRAIGHTENER tool handle.

FIG. 10 is the side view of the ERICKSON SUPER STRAIGHTENER tool head.

FIG. 11 is the side view of the ERICKSON SUPER STRAIGHTENER.

FIG. 12 is the front view of the ERICKSON SUPER STRAIGHTENER bending plate. 

1. I claim that our invention is a two piece saw bar straightening tool that uses leverage and a tool operators own body strength to straighten a bent or twisted saw bar, with this tool consisting of a first piece being a tool handle and an attached rotating tool head that contains a slip through gap to slide a damaged saw bar through and keep it positioned for straightening, and with a second piece being a separate bending plate that is made with a slip through gap that will hold this same saw bar in a secure and desirable position for straightening, with this tool utilizing all post on either side of this separate bending plate that will be used for straightening either of two ears of a saw bar by designing these bending plate posts so that one ear of a saw bar can be slid through a bending plate gap while a other ear remains outside this gap, positioning one ear of a saw bar in this bending plate gap for straightening. This saw bar described would be used by Tree Harvesting Equipment and other Forestry related equipment. 